College football's version of slow-pitch softball officially ends tonight. Get ready for hardball.
What Alabama and LSU play is so different from what's going on outside the SEC, it might as well be classified as another sport.
Since the onset of bowl ball in middle December, you have seen college teams score at a pace that makes Arena Football offenses look lethargic. You won't see that tonight in the BCS national championship game. You will see two teams that are so superior to the fellow practitioners of their sport that you would question the lucidity of anyone who suggests otherwise.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy lamely lobbied for the one-loss spot in the national championship game against unbeaten LSU. That was quite a case his Cowboys made in a come-from-behind victory against Stanford, whose offense repeatedly knocked defenders off the ball, eventually coming up short only because its coach entrusted the game to his freshman kicker, as opposed to his All-American quarterback.
If Oklahoma State couldn't handle Stanford's version of power football, how do you think it would have fared against Alabama and LSU? My guess is it wouldn't have come closer than three touchdowns, in part, because its offense would have been traumatized after one series of having its receivers actually covered and its quarterback actually pressured.
I'm not just picking on Oklahoma State. I'm picking on everyone who isn't LSU or Alabama.
For those who didn't want to see a rematch decide the national championship, I ask: Would you prefer Florida vs. Ohio State in January of 2007? LSU or Alabama versus anyone else might have been just as one-sided as the beating the Gators inflicted on the Buckeyes.
Tonight's national championship is everything most of the bowl season hasn't been. And
I can't wait to watch it, mainly because I'm weary of seeing a running back break into the secondary and find nobody home — in fact, finding no one in camera range.
Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III is a great player. But when three defenders hit him behind the line of scrimmage, his knee should at least buckle. Even amid the bowl scoring onslaught, Washington concluded a defensive staff that couldn't hold the Bears under 67 points should seek employment elsewhere.
Baylor's offense was almost as good as West Virginia's against Clemson. Watching the Mountaineers score 49 first-half points on their way to 70 made me wonder if half the Clemson defense was wearing orthopedic boots. Again, anytime an eligible ball carrier burst beyond the line of scrimmage, the field was as open as Wyoming.
Offenses always look outnumbered against Alabama and LSU, who needed an overtime to combine for 15 points during the regular season. It's as though they're both running a 4-4-5 defense.
They have what everybody else doesn't, dominant defenses that can't be dented or circumvented no matter how glowing your offensive résumé might be. Together, they should give you another game low in scoring and high in drama.
And if anyone breaks into the open field, he's probably being chased by the offense.
LSU 17, Alabama 13: If you still believe the Tide's Nick Saban is a coaching genius and the Tigers' Les Miles is the luckiest man ever to munch on stadium turf, you haven't been paying attention. Miles and his staff have out-coached Saban and his staff in their last two meetings.
Just as significantly, LSU has played looser in big games. And this game is as big as it gets.
John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com. Follow him at http://twitter.com/johnadamskns
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Comments » 26
Orangeblood13 writes:
Your best articles are always about any team other than Tennessee
orangecountyvols writes:
Vols,
Should be a great game. Hope so anyway.
Of course Johnny would pick LSU. Not a surprise there. However, the Tigers have already proven their point once already. Is this a 2 out of 3 affair???????
Two great defenses but if this game holds true to form, LSU with a super special teams group and two ( 2 ) capable quarterbacks might have the edge.
rtrchatt writes:
Bammer OWNES you and will for quite some time. Win or lose Bama will beat you like a drum next year and be in the hunt for a SEC/NC.
Do you boys still do any recruiting? 48-38-7 and 5 in a row Bama.
SeminaryVol writes:
LSU is national champion regardless of the game's outcome.
kcbigorngX writes:
Calm down John you're going to stain yourself.
If Richardson and Lacy show up with fresh legs its gonna be bama by 6.
The best lsu can hope for is defensive scores/field position by interception.
jandjhome#228397 writes:
LSU 21 Bama 10
FearThisElephant writes:
If LSWho scores 21, 14 would have to be the courtesy of the Bama O. Tide 27. Who 13. As the keyboard turns...
majscuba writes:
JA has no gag reflex
brokebackvol writes:
Most of the country is probably pulling for LSU - Bama doesn't deserve a second shot, and certainly not for the glass football.
gc_scvol writes:
John, do you tink when you get through singing the praises of LSU you could actually put a story about TN athletics on this site. I have a lot of respect for LSU, but you are slowly but surely eroding that respect. I hope God lets me live long enough to see you retire.
dirislr#209355 writes:
If you don't read his columns you want care when he retires.
gc_scvol writes:
You make a vey valid point. I just keep reading them, hoping he will someday write an article that isn't negative about our program. You see, I am the eternal optimist, but I'm getting old and afraid I'll go to my grave without ever seeing Mr. Adams say something positive about our program.. VFL
gc_scvol writes:
Make that very (not vey)
UTKin1992 writes:
When our abysmal football team and coaching staff cease to be a joke perhaps Adams will be able to write something positive about it. Until that day comes - if ever - you all need to have a nice warm cup of STFU when it comes to his articles...
VolFanInTheBoro writes:
Really nice that you support the Vols, not
gc_scvol writes:
Sounds as if you have anger management issues. STFU, really? You probably call yourself a TN fan, you really shouldn't do that.
Really, STFU is the best you could drag out of your limited vocabulary?
gc_scvol writes:
Sorry, my last post should have been in response to that nice gentleman UTKin1992
Supersayin1 writes:
I remember when our Vols played Big Boy ball!! Thats because those guys were tough, big, strong,fast, and Nasty.
Coaches could get in their faces, and tell them the truth about how they performed.
Nowadays we get upset when Dooleys lets them know they aren't very good.
Now players are soft and emotional, and instead of pushing to challenge the coaches thoughts on their performance, they and the fans cry and whine claiming it's only gonna make them believe they are losers.
At The REAL UT we are the team thats supposed to rival Bama, and be that thorn in their side.
The Reason why bama and LSU are in the BCS tonight is because Saban and Miles gets in their faces, tearing them down, to see who will rise up above his limitations.
At UT our Coach who coached under Saban, who understands what it means to push a player beyond his limitations, we say he's to harsh on their fragile minds!
We want monsters,but we don't want the oldschool tough love coaching that made men become monsters on the field of play.
VOLSONTHECOMEBACK writes:
I recall that it wasn't too long ago that UT beat bama 7 years in a row. Is that not right? Keep trolling
vol64 writes:
To all those who are critical of John for not writing anything positive about the Vols, unfortunately there has not been much positive to write about the Vols on the field of play in the past 4 or 5 years. If you don't think John can write anything positive about the Vols, I suggest you read his column after the near miss at Bama in 2010. I believe you will see a different JA when the Vols start winning consistently again.
tulelakevol writes:
LSU craps on bammers offense, then wipes their butt with the toilet paper tide, and flushes it down the toilet at the Superdome.
vol64 writes:
Opps, meant near miss in 2009.
dvhill100 writes:
Should be an epic game. NOBODY else in Div 1 would stand a chance against either of these teams. OkSU wouldn't know what hit them. The quarterback would spend the night running for his life and the the receivers would spend a lot of time telling the medical staff how many fingers they were holding up and being wrong.
Smashmouth football, I salute you.
Go Vols, hopefully someday you'll get back to the National Championship level.
orangecountyvols writes:
Vols,
This will be updated on a separate post I know, but it's halftime and LSU is being embarrassed even if by 3 field goals.
One first down??????????????
With Jefferson as QB, it's not gonna' happen.
He is playing like a deer in the head lights.
And Chavis? It's looking like days of old when good passers took him to school. Play action by Bama looks like a first time look for Chavis.
An Alabama Sophomore QB is embarrassing a Senior
QB for the Tigers.
9 points will probably be plenty for the Tide.
JWilly writes:
I tire of so many in the national media saying Okie State should have been in this game. I was happy to watch this slugfest rather than teams who have nothing that resembles a defense. the Okies were very fortunate to have won the Stanford game and they did lose to Iowa State...Get over it. If they had played Bama, LSU, Arkansas or South Carolina, Gundy would be in a corner whimpering "I am a man....really I am.
tnbigg writes:
JA - Check your column predicting bad bowl season for SEC and this one. Your ignorance about truth in football is a travesty. Senior member of this staff? Good grief. You haven't foggy clue...and yet...you still get paid. Simply incredible. Sorry your icon lost and you predictably picked them win...but you need to switch column topic if you are supposed to represent this newspaper as an "expert". The only real term that comes to mind? P O S E R...paid poser...
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